The Legislative Branch
The Legislative Branch The legislative branch is the most powerful branch in government. The legislative branch is in charge of making and passing laws. They have the power to override a president’s decision, stop laws from being passed, and basically control all decisions the governments makes. The legislative branch, also called the congress, consists of the House of Representatives and the senate. The reason for two houses of congress is to balance out the concerns of smaller but more populated states against states that are larger but with less population (www.Usgovinfo.com).
The House of Representatives consists of 435 elected members that are divided among the fifty states in proportion to their population. There are also six nonvoting members representing the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the other four territories of the United States. The House of Representatives are elected every two years. A member must be at least twenty-five years old, a citizen of the United States for at least seven years and a resident of the state they will be representing.
The senate is composed of one hundred senators. There are two senators for each state. The people of the state elect senators every six years. In order to be qualified for the position of a senator, the minimum age requirement of thirty years old, he or she must be a citizen of the United States for at least nine years and reside in the state they represent. There are additional powers awarded to the congress. The senate has the power to ratify treaties and is responsible for confirming Presidential appointments of Cabinet members, federal judges and foreign ambassadors. The vice President serves as the President of the senate and has the right to cast his vote in a tie (www.Usgovinfo.com).
People will disagree with the fact that the legislative branch has the most power. Many think that the executive branch is the most powerful because that is the branch that the president is in.
The House of Representatives consists of 435 elected members that are divided among the fifty states in proportion to their population. There are also six nonvoting members representing the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the other four territories of the United States. The House of Representatives are elected every two years. A member must be at least twenty-five years old, a citizen of the United States for at least seven years and a resident of the state they will be representing.
The senate is composed of one hundred senators. There are two senators for each state. The people of the state elect senators every six years. In order to be qualified for the position of a senator, the minimum age requirement of thirty years old, he or she must be a citizen of the United States for at least nine years and reside in the state they represent. There are additional powers awarded to the congress. The senate has the power to ratify treaties and is responsible for confirming Presidential appointments of Cabinet members, federal judges and foreign ambassadors. The vice President serves as the President of the senate and has the right to cast his vote in a tie (www.Usgovinfo.com).
People will disagree with the fact that the legislative branch has the most power. Many think that the executive branch is the most powerful because that is the branch that the president is in.
Bibliography: "Congress for Kids: [Legislative Branch]: The Veto." Congress for Kids - Interactive, Fun-filled Experiences About the Federal Government. Web. 06 Oct. 2010. .